Door-operating device for drying-machines.



W. M. SCHWARTZ. DOOR OPERATING DEVICE POR DRYING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 31. 1903.

u II lll/l No. 805,236.' PATBNTED NOV. 2l, 1905. W. M. SCHWARTZ.

DOOR OPERATING DEVICE FOR DRYING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG,31,1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

lll

vUNITED STATES 'PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER M SCHWARTZ, OF PHILADELPHIA. PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE PHILADELPHIA TEXTILE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PHILA- DELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

i, Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 21, 1905.

Application filed August 31, 1903. Serial No. 171,430

To all whom, it may Pon/cern:

Be it known that LWALTER M. SCHWARTZ.' a citizen of the United States, residingin Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Door-Operating Devices for Drying-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a device which can be attached to the endless chain of a tobacco drying or treating machine or a yarn-drying machine for automatically opening or closing the doors between the compartments. Heretofore it has been necessary to provide means whereby access could be had to the interior of the drying apparatus, so that the operator could either enter the apparatus and open or close the doors or pass his arm into the apparatus.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved device. Fig. 2 is a view showing the device applied to the endless chain of a tobacco-drying machine and in the act of pushing the door open. Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2, showing the door raised and latched. Fig. 4 is a view showing the device reversed and the door released in the act of closing, and Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view on the line 5 5,

. Fig. 2.

The drawings illustrate the invention applied to a tobacco-drying machine in which the tobacco is moistened, ordered, and dried in a series of compartments separated by partitions, and an endless belt is used for carrying the tobacco Hat, and an endless chain is used from which the tobacco is suspended; but it will be understood that the invention may be applied to other forms of drying-machines as well withoutdeparting from my invention.

I have illustrated in the drawings only a portion of the drying-machine and showing in section one of the partitions separating the several compartments.

A tobacco-drying machine is made up of a number of compartments, through which the tobacco is traversed by an endless belt or chain, and these compartments are kept at different degrees of heat or moisture, so as to properly treat the tobacco. It is necessary to make the partitions between the several compartments as tight as possible, and the communicating openings should be only sufiicient to allow for the free passage of the tobacco. In the class of machines illustrated in the drawings, where an endless belt and an endless chain are used, the tobacco may be either hung from the chains or may be fed fiat on the belt. lVhen conveyed flat, the doors between the compartments are closed, allowing only sufhcient room for the passage of the tobacco on the endless belt; but when the tobacco is suspended from the chain it is necessary to open the'doors between the compartments to allow for the free passage of the tobacco carried thereby. The change must be quickly made, as it is desirable to dry certain qualities of tobacco suspended from the chains, while others must be conveyed on the belt, and heretofore the doors have always been opened or closed by hand, which makes it necessary to stop the machine and to either open doors at the sides, which would change the temperature of the compartments, or the operator must enter the machine. By my improvements I can open or close the doors automatically at the proper time without the operator entering the machine and without stopping the machine, and the compartments will not be unnecessarily opened to the-atmosphere.

Referring now to the drawings, A is the casing of the machine. a is one compartment, a' is an adjoining compartment, and these compartments are separated by a vertical partition B, having a door C hinged at c to said partition.

D is an endless-belt conveyer, preferably perforated, so that a current of air can pass through the same. This belt passes around drums at each end of the machine, one of which is driven in any suitable manner. Above the belt is the carrying-run of a chain E, which passes around sprocket-wheels ,at each end, one of which may be driven in any suitable manner. The belt and the chain are driven in the direction indicated by the arrows, Fig. 2, and may be driven either at the same speed or at different speeds, as desired. On the links of the chain E are hooks e, forming sockets for the sticks f, which carry the leaf-tobacco.

b is a hook which is pivoted to a bracket b', secured to the casing of the machine, and this hook is arranged to engage the door and hold TOO it in its raised position. On the door is a plate c', against which the opening device strikes when in the act of opening the door.

I is the device'for opening the door, and in the present instance it is simply a casting having a curved face e', so that it will engage and gradually open or close the door, according to its position on the chain. Extending from each side of this device I are arms t", which rest in the sockets of the chain. These arms may be reduced at each end to form shoulders to hold the device laterally, and the arms are held to the central member by collars 2, secured by set-screws in the present instance.

When the tobacco is being conveyed through the drier on the belt D, then the doors C in the partitions B are closed, as shown in Fig. Q, sucient space being left under the ldoor to allow forthe free passage of the tobacco under the door; but when it is desired to traverse the tobacco through the drier while it is suspended from the chains E then the doors must be opened. To accomplish this, I hang the device I on the chains E, as indicated in Fig. 2, before placing any of the sticks carrying the tobacco on the chain, so that as the chain moves forward the lower portion of the device I will strike the projection c on the door C and will gradually raise it to the position shown in Fig. 3, the curve being such that the device will push the door past the latch which will be moved back and then dropped forward and hold the door in its raised position, allowing the tobacco to freely pass from one compartment to another. The operation is repeated as the device passes the several partitions, and when the device nears the end or' the machine it is detached from the chain. Vhen it is desired to discontinue ythe use of the chains E for carrying the tobacco, then the device is again placed on the chain, but in the reverse position, as shown in Fig. 4, and an arm 71;, which is pivoted to the upper end of the central member of the device I, is turned up, as shown in Fig. 4, so as to strike the latch b, releasing the door, which falls upon the curved portion of the device, and as the chain moves forward the door gradually closes. This operation is repeated throughout the length oi' the machine.

I claim as my inventionl. rIhe combination in a drying-machine, of a partition therein, a door in the partition, a carrier passing through the partition, and a device detachably connected to the carrier and acting upon the door, with means for retaining the door in open position, substantially as described.

2. The combination in a drying-machine, of a partition therein, an opening in the partition, a carrier arranged to pass through the opening, a door hung to the partition and arranged to close the opening, a latch for retaining' the door in its raised position, and a device detachably connected to the carrier for acting upon the door, substantially as described.

3. The combination in a drier, oi' a partition therein dividing the drier into two compartments, a pivoted door in the partition` an endless chain arranged to travel through the drier, with a reversible door-actuating device detachably connected tothe chain so that when placed in one position on the chain it will open the door and when placed in the reverse direction will release the door, and allow it to close, substantially as described.

4. The combination in a drying-machine having a partition therein, a door in the partition, an endless chain arranged to convey material through the drying-machine, with a door-opening device detachably connected to the chain and having a curved member provided with arms resting on the chain, said curved member being so arranged that it will gradually open the door, and a latch arranged to engage the door when raised, substantially as described.

5. The combination of a carrying-chain having sockets, with a detachable door-opening device consisting oi' a central curved member having arms extending from each side, said arms being adapted to rest in the sockets of the chain, substantially as described.

6. The combination of a carrier with a detachable door-opening device consisting of a central curved member having arms extending from each side, said curved member having a pivoted arm at one end for the purpose of releasing a latch when the device is mounted on the carrier, substantially as described.

7. The combination in a drying-machine having a partition therein, a pivoted door in said partition, alatch for holding' the door in its raised position, an endless chain arranged to carry material through the drying-machine, a device having a curved member provided with arms arranged to rest on the chain and having a pivoted arm at the upper end so that when the device is hung on the chain and the arm raised it will strike the latch, release the door and allow it to gradually close, substantially as described.

8. The combination in a drying-machine having a partition therein. a door pivoted to the partition, an endless belt for carrying material through the machine, an endless chain also arranged to carry material through the machine and. having its carrying-run above the belt, means for holding the door oil the partition open to allow for the passage of material carried by the chain, with a door-opening device arranged to be detachably connected to the chain to open'the door, substantially as described.

9. The combination in a drying-machine, oi" a series oi' transverse partitions therein dividing the machine into a series oi' compartments, a pivoted door in each partition, an endless carrier arranged to move in a longitudinal IOO path through the machine and through the several partitions, with a device detachably connected to the carrier and arranged to operate the doors, and means for maintaining the doors in their open position, substantially as described.

l0. The combination in a drying-machine `having a series of` transverse partitions dividing the machine into compartments, an opening in each partition, an endless chain arranged to travel through the several compartments and through the openings in the partitions, a door in each partition, an endless belt also passing through the several compartments and passing under the doors of the partitions, and a device detachably connected to the endless chain for operating the doors, Substantially as described.

11. The combination in a drying-machine, oi a partition therein, a door hung in said partition, an opening in the partition at each side of the door,an endless chain passing through each opening, and a door-operating device detachably connected to the said endless chain for operating the door, substantially as described.

12. The combination in a drying-machine,

of a partition therein, an opening a door hung in said partition and arranged to close the opening, openings in the partition at each side of the door, an endless chain arranged to travel through each opening, a latch for holding the door in its open position, and a device detachably connected to the chain for operating the door, substantially as described.

13. The combination in a drying-machine havinga transverse partition therein, an opening in the partition, a door partly closing the said opening, a latch for holding the door in its open position, an endless belt arranged to travel through the opening in the partition under the door, chains arranged to travel through openings in the partition at each side of the door, a door-operating device detachably connected to the chain, substantially as described. i

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

l/VALTER M. SCHWARTZ.

Witnesses:

MURRAY C. BOYER, Jos. H. KLEIN. 

